


Research

by whenyouheldtheknife



Series: Gratitude [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Carlos the science teacher, Cecil the weird librarian, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Misogyny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 00:48:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenyouheldtheknife/pseuds/whenyouheldtheknife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Perhaps once your mother and I have bonded over your ignorance, I could share with her the recipes I’ve concocted over the years for a succinct and delicious, if bitter, stew, comprised solely of one ignorant boy,” Cecil responded with a cheerful smile on his face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Research

**Author's Note:**

> so i guess this happened again??  
> DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND WOWZA I LOVE YOU GUYSSS  
> including my friends who more often than not want to hit me when i write things so ye  
> hope you enjoy??  
> there will be more to come at some point hehe

“Good morning, young students!” Cecil Baldwin greeted the tired children sitting in rows of perfectly-placed desks in front of him. “How many of you have visited the library?” 

A few of the students - Carlos’s students, that was - raised their hands slowly, almost tentatively. “Wonderful! How many of you that raised your hands visit the library for the purpose of research?” Cecil asked next, smiling warmly at the four students who had raised their hands. 

Their hands all went down. 

“All right, well, that’s what I’m here for! I work in the library and you may all call me Mr. Baldwin, or Cecil if you prefer to treat me like your hip science teacher, Carlos,” Cecil explained, a grin curving his lips as he nodded and glanced over at Carlos. The dark-haired man was sitting at his desk, his entire body turned towards Cecil. 

Cecil shifted on his feet and glanced away, sure that his face was going to redden if he continued to look at Carlos. Why was the science teacher staring at him like that? There had been such intensity in Carlos’s deep brown eyes… Cecil glanced back and saw, to his surprise and slight horror, that Carlos was still looking at him. 

“The first thing that must be done, after picking a research topic, is to find where books on said topic can be found. In the library, things are organized by the Dewey decimal system. Can anyone tell me what that is?” Cecil asked, a little more hurried than before. Maybe if he just didn’t look at Carlos again, he could ignore the fact that Carlos was staring at him. 

A student raised his hand. “Yes, you?” Cecil pointed at the boy. 

“Why’re you a librarian? It’s a girls’ job,” the teenager said with a sneer. 

Cecil bristled and stood up a little straighter. “That doesn’t pertain to what I asked. Please refrain from speaking again.” 

“Or what?” The teenager crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair, smug and oh-so-pleased to be the lord of his own little world. 

“Or I’ll be forced to call home and explain to your mother that you think that librarians are lesser people simply because they are supposed to be women. Perhaps once your mother and I have bonded over your ignorance, I could share with her the recipes I’ve concocted over the years for a succinct and delicious, if bitter, stew, comprised solely of one ignorant boy,” Cecil responded with a cheerful smile on his face. The boy, who by now had gone pale, sunk low in his seat and pulled his hat over his eyes. 

Brightening considerably, Cecil glanced over at Carlos to find him hiding a small smile behind his hand. The man caught Cecil’s eye and winked, sending Cecil’s heart into a spiral up his throat and out of his body. Cecil winked back and asked the class, “Are there any more questions?” 

\- - -

Later that same afternoon in the library, Cecil sat behind the front desk, quietly humming to himself while a fair number of Carlos’s students traipsed quietly around the library, checking out books for their research projects coming up. Cecil was knuckles-deep in old catalogue cards from when the school was first built, re-writing the names of the books that they still owned in his smallest and neatest calligraphy. 

“Cecil,” someone said from the front of the desk, and Cecil immediately knew that it was Carlos. He looked up quickly, seeing that it was indeed Carlos. Carlos, dressed in plain black and red plaid with black work slacks and a loosened black tie, stood before him, leaning cautiously over the desk. 

“Hello Carlos! How can I help you?” Cecil asked warmly, standing up from his chair and setting down the pen he had been holding. 

“It’s, uh… Do you think the students will be okay?” he asked rather quickly, looking down at the wood of the desk. 

“Well, of course, I did my best with them. I’m sure they will be able to turn in papers that can satisfy you,” Cecil assured Carlos, a little perplexed and, though he was reluctant to admit it, somewhat disappointed. Was this what Carlos had really come over to talk about? 

“That’s good.” Carlos paused and glanced slowly up at Cecil, an unreadable expression buried within his hypnotic, perfect eyes. “Cecil… Would you, ah… Would you help me with some research after school today? I don’t know my way around the library and I think you could really help me.” 

Cecil’s heart was pounding in his chest. He swallowed, adjusted his bowtie (today it was bright orange, to match the creamsicle-colored dress shirt he wore), and then nodded. “That - that would be my pleasure!” he exclaimed, smiling a little too brightly. 

Carlos didn’t seem to notice. In fact, he looked relieved. “Thank you,” he said. “I have to go collect my students, but I’ll be back later.” He stood up straight, smiled, and nodded at Cecil before walking away. 

Confused, Cecil sat back down at his chair slowly. What had that been about? What could Carlos even want with him, nothing but a silly librarian? Now, now, Cecil, the blond told himself sternly, you know you’re more than that. Buck that chin right up and get back to work. The sooner you get through it, the sooner you get to see Carlos. 

And with that mindset, Cecil picked his pen up again and began going through the cards, his palms growing clammy as he wondered in the back of his mind what sort of research Carlos wanted to conduct with him. 


End file.
